Submitted by: Bev Polon
We hope that you took the opportunity to visit the Spooktober Halloween event on October 18 & 19, 2024 at the Swan Valley Historical Museum grounds. It was hosted by the North-West Regional Library and offered a Halloween experience for all ages.
The Museum Main Hall provided many experiences for those choosing a less scary experience. ECFC Headstart program delighted children under 6 years with fun games and the ever-popular bouncy castle. Dodi and her helpers offered free face painting to children and adults as well. Susan and Michelle’s games area was constantly busy with different games to test your skills. Also in the main building, the SVRSS Art Club, Life Skills program and Tammy Zaretsky-Denischuk offered a hands-on discovery of what witch’s fingers, teeth and brains might feel like in their tactile experience.
A big highlight returning to Spooktober was the mini-train ride. The Ukele group sold tickets and assisted with embarkment with Will Piwish as primary train conductor through the evening. It was a constantly busy area.
If willing to brave a scarier experience, there were 3 points of challenge this year. Doreen’s Witches way in the Gulash Building could creep you out with oversized skeletons, witches and bears as you travelled through a maze of Halloween décor.
The Creepy Dolls of the Octagon house kept you leaping from scare to scare in this intriguing old house. Out of this world dressed actors would jump out of the most unexpected places to add to your fear. Many screaming runners were witnessed fleeing the chain saw man at the rear exit.
New this year, Kim’s trail area featured a Do You Believe in Fairy Tales outdoor presentation. This outdoor maze had one coming upon characters from various fairy tales as one crept down the dark trail.
Guests were also treated to free hot chocolate and cookies. Children and youth received goodie bags of candy as well. This plus snacks for the over 90 actors and volunteers necessary each evening to create this Spooktober event were generously donated by many Swan Valley businesses and food establishments.
All aspects of this event were generously supported by businesses, organizations and individuals to make it the great success that it was. The North-West Regional Library appreciates all of the support that was received for this significant new fund raiser.